The other day I ran down to my local supermarket for some last minute supplies. My husband and I were giving a party the next day.
Usually our store is well-stocked, but this day it seemed as if everything I needed wasn't stocked.
I must have looked slightly confused ( I guess my face just habitually looks that way) because when I got to the produce section a nice lady employee asked me if I'd found everything I needed.
Well. . . she asked.
So I told her I was frustrated that they always stock things that older people need in places where it's difficult to reach. "For instance," I said, they put the gluten-free pasta waaaaaaay down on the bottom shelf where it's hard for us people with bad knees to get down to get it. And if you even get down, then you hafta get back up. Why do they do that?!"
The nice lady explained that she'd suggested to the store managers many times to stock these items higher up where it's more accessible.
"That would be very much appreciated," I said.
"Anything else you couldn't find?" the nice produce lady asked.
"Well, since you asked, I also couldn't find any diet caffeine-free Pepsi. You've got all the other Pepsi's, just not the one I'm looking for."
The produce lady then went on to explain in great detail about how the stockers can't stock the diet caffeine-free Pepsi because sometimes the Pepsi people just don't deliver it. And if it's not delivered by thus and such day then the store is just out of luck. . . etc.
After her long explanation I didn't have the heart to tell her that I'd already gotten that same story from another store employee when I first discovered that there were no diet caffeine-free Pepsi's on the shelf.
The produce lady was so eager to help, and the two of us were getting along so well that I said, "And also, I really don't like that ranch dip that they keep in the chip section. Is there a better, refrigerated kind?"
She said, "Why don't I just walk you over to where we keep the ranch dip?"
"Why thanks, Ma'am. How kind of you."
"No problem," she said over her shoulder.
I followed her to the refrigerator section where they have the salad mixes. Funny how I never noticed those tubs of vegie dips before. The produce lady spent a couple of minutes extolling the individual tastiness of each kind of ranch dip. "And I particularly like this one, but if you like, this Southwestern one is pretty good, too."
"Oh, I think I'll just go with the plain Ranch, thank you." I reached in and grabbed a tub.
Then the nice produce lady smiled sweetly at me -- like the way you smile at a cute, innocent six-year old child -- and said in a sing-song, high-pitched voice, "And don't forget that your shopping cart is still parked over there by the sweet peppers."
She hurried back to her fresh produce and I stood there feeling foolish.
The whole time I stood in line at check-out and all the way home I kept asking myself, Did I say something that led that woman to believe I'm simple minded?
It made me kind of insecure.
Maybe I come across as simpleminded to everybody.
Maybe I really am simpleminded.
Do simpleminded people know they're simpleminded?
Maybe my husband and children and friends have been humoring me all these years!
I had to laugh after I got over the initial disturbing emotion brought out by that encounter at the store.
I guess we're all simple-minded occasionally.
And brilliant at other times.
Even Einstein had trouble negotiating around town.
My husband is amazing in his ability to manage groups of people. But he loses things. All the time.
Whether or not I'm losing ground in the cognitive arena, it's nice to know that that doesn't change God's love for me one whit. (Pun intended.)
"My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever." (Psalm 73: 26 NIV Bible)
Usually our store is well-stocked, but this day it seemed as if everything I needed wasn't stocked.
I must have looked slightly confused ( I guess my face just habitually looks that way) because when I got to the produce section a nice lady employee asked me if I'd found everything I needed.
Well. . . she asked.
So I told her I was frustrated that they always stock things that older people need in places where it's difficult to reach. "For instance," I said, they put the gluten-free pasta waaaaaaay down on the bottom shelf where it's hard for us people with bad knees to get down to get it. And if you even get down, then you hafta get back up. Why do they do that?!"
The nice lady explained that she'd suggested to the store managers many times to stock these items higher up where it's more accessible.
"That would be very much appreciated," I said.
"Anything else you couldn't find?" the nice produce lady asked.
"Well, since you asked, I also couldn't find any diet caffeine-free Pepsi. You've got all the other Pepsi's, just not the one I'm looking for."
The produce lady then went on to explain in great detail about how the stockers can't stock the diet caffeine-free Pepsi because sometimes the Pepsi people just don't deliver it. And if it's not delivered by thus and such day then the store is just out of luck. . . etc.
After her long explanation I didn't have the heart to tell her that I'd already gotten that same story from another store employee when I first discovered that there were no diet caffeine-free Pepsi's on the shelf.
The produce lady was so eager to help, and the two of us were getting along so well that I said, "And also, I really don't like that ranch dip that they keep in the chip section. Is there a better, refrigerated kind?"
She said, "Why don't I just walk you over to where we keep the ranch dip?"
"Why thanks, Ma'am. How kind of you."
"No problem," she said over her shoulder.
I followed her to the refrigerator section where they have the salad mixes. Funny how I never noticed those tubs of vegie dips before. The produce lady spent a couple of minutes extolling the individual tastiness of each kind of ranch dip. "And I particularly like this one, but if you like, this Southwestern one is pretty good, too."
"Oh, I think I'll just go with the plain Ranch, thank you." I reached in and grabbed a tub.
Then the nice produce lady smiled sweetly at me -- like the way you smile at a cute, innocent six-year old child -- and said in a sing-song, high-pitched voice, "And don't forget that your shopping cart is still parked over there by the sweet peppers."
She hurried back to her fresh produce and I stood there feeling foolish.
The whole time I stood in line at check-out and all the way home I kept asking myself, Did I say something that led that woman to believe I'm simple minded?
It made me kind of insecure.
Maybe I come across as simpleminded to everybody.
Maybe I really am simpleminded.
Do simpleminded people know they're simpleminded?
Maybe my husband and children and friends have been humoring me all these years!
I had to laugh after I got over the initial disturbing emotion brought out by that encounter at the store.
I guess we're all simple-minded occasionally.
And brilliant at other times.
Even Einstein had trouble negotiating around town.
My husband is amazing in his ability to manage groups of people. But he loses things. All the time.
Whether or not I'm losing ground in the cognitive arena, it's nice to know that that doesn't change God's love for me one whit. (Pun intended.)
"My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever." (Psalm 73: 26 NIV Bible)
I can relate. Have you run into age by association? I take my mother shopping, and I'm automatically treated like I'm 104. I'm going to write a blog post about this!
ReplyDeleteYep, Susan. and if I go out with someone obviously younger, then I must be their mother! But, getting back to the store employee, I think she assumed that since I told her about things I couldn't find (no matter the reason) then I must be kind of dumb.
ReplyDelete